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Ages Eligible for Study:

18 Years and older (Adult, Senior)

Sexes Eligible for Study:

All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers:

Yes

Criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

Patients meeting the following criteria:

Diagnosis of metastatic carcinoma

Must be enrolled in 1 of the following surgical protocols:

NCI-99-C-0123

NCI-00-C-0069

NCI-03-C-0085

NCI-03-C-0212

Healthy control participant* meeting the following criteria:

No anemia or thrombocytopenia

No history of venous thromboembolism (deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary emboli)

No history of coronary artery disease or stroke

No chronic inflammatory disease

No diabetes mellitus

Have not smoked tobacco within the past 6 months NOTE: * Selected on the basis of gender and age to match the patients as they are accrued

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

No symptomatic infections or other acute illness within the past 14 days